


The Confession Of Iago

by MorphyVSFischer



Category: Othello - Shakespeare
Genre: Character Study, Gen, Post-Canon, Self-Reflection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:48:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27023047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MorphyVSFischer/pseuds/MorphyVSFischer
Summary: Iago had never been one to question himself. Of course when one is being tortured, you have nothing but time.
Relationships: Iago/Othello
Kudos: 4





	The Confession Of Iago

**Author's Note:**

> I story I wrote waaaaay back when, like a decade ago. Fair warning while it doesn't depict or show any torture it is the mentioned and the framework of the story.

The torture room was a darkly lit place, full of shadows cast by the few candles scattered around the room. Iago briefly wondered if there was a mandate out there saying that all torture rooms had to be like this. Probably not, Cassio didn't have the imagination to issue such an order; Othello might have if he were still living and wasn't an innocent fool. Time passed and passed and just as he was beginning to consider if they might have forgotten about him, his torturer entered the room. A big, burly man dressed in all black (naturally); complete with mask, walked up to where Iago was hung up upon the rack. His eyes rested upon Iago and studied him with a surprisingly intelligent gaze. "Not to injured then, I hope?" he inquired, indicating to Iago's wound. Iago responded with stony silence, as he had vowed never to reveal a single detail when the whole affair had been completed. This line of questioning rather bored him, since he knew exactly what the man was trying to do. After all he done the same thing to Othello not so long ago, except with far more finesse. "I was told of your promise, and the new governor has informed me that should you reveal your motives for killing the general and his wife, your torture will cease immediately. You'll still hang of course but at least that shall be a quick death. The choice is yours." The man waited a moment for Iago to respond and when he was once more met with silence, he grinned. Ah so he was one of those then. Torturers usually came in two flavors in Iago's experience, those that liked it and those that did it ought of a sense of foolish duty to cause or country. Iago knew that grin well from times past; it was the grin of a man about to some highly nasty work and was going to enjoy every second of it, after all he had worn one himself, not to long ago.

****************

Iago ignored the pain of the torturer's instruments. The main was quite skilled in his trade, but his talents were wasted on him. He was a soldier first after all, veteran of dozens of battles and hardships before this. If he could endure all that had come before this, he could endure this man's efforts. Still…perhaps he should distract himself further from the pain? An intellectual exercise rather appealed to him at the moment, after all he had nothing but time before they finally gave up and decided to hang him. But what was there to consider? Suddenly an idea occurred to him. They all wondered why he had done it, and to be honest after the whole task was accomplished he had hardly had time to reflect on his actions, much less motivations. Yes, this would make a fine distraction for the time being. He closed his eyes and considered his whole history with Othello and decided to reminisce from the beginning…

When he had first met Othello he had been terribly green as a soldier, having just turned 20, all skin and bones and terribly overconfident in that wonderful way only new men can be. He had only been enlisted into service for a few weeks before, visions of gold and beautiful women dancing in his head and when he had gone through the rigorous training of a soldier he had considered himself a man then. That was, of course, absurd but he was younger then, and had eagerly been waiting to meet his commanding officer, along with the other men by his side. He still remembered the nervous tension and rumors that had surrounded the camp in the weeks before Othello's arrival. Some told of an invincible general, who had seen everything with skin as black as coal, others of a barbarian who cut off heads and consumed men's flesh. Some of the men proclaimed they would rather take there own lives then serve under a Moor. For his part, he simply kept his head down and waited for the arrival, waiting to be impressed. When Othello had at last arrived, he promptly had ordered the men assembled before him for inspection. He had walked along to each man, with a piercing, calculating gaze. He still remembered when Othello had stopped upon him; it had felt as though Othello had been evaluating his very soul. How different he was from the man that had fallen under Desdemona's spell, all reason and calculation gone, replaced with wild passion. He looked at Othello straight in the eye, not wanting to turn away from the gaze. After a long moment, Othello had nodded to himself, satisfied. Iago had felt like he should cheer, but he didn't even dare breathing. Othello then put them through Hell for the next few weeks, training them for combat, putting them up to snuff with real soldiers. After a one highly exhausting session, one of the troops who had proclaimed Othello to be little more then ape when Othello's back was turned had finally worked up the courage to challenge Othello's authority. The man had called Othello everything he could think of, fit for little more then slavery, yet put in charge of his betters. Othello had simply looked at the man with that gaze of his and said "If you feel I am unfit for my command, come and face me in combat." The man who had spoken turned a rather deathly shade of pale, for like all fools and bullies he had not planned for his target to respond, like many he had believed the stories of Moorish cowardice, instantly shattered by Othello's mere presence and manner. After a moment he had slinked off, to much of a coward to even draw his sword. Othello then faced the rest of the men and proclaimed "If any other feels as he does, and is worthy enough to challenge my authority let him step forward." An absolute silence fell, and then Othello ordered them back to there training and no one would challenge him for the rest of his career until Iago himself stepped forward, long after many battles had been won.

******************

The first campaigns in combat had seemed to go by in a blur. He remembered countless occasions where he and Othello had fought side by side, saving each others lives. He remembered when Othello had proclaimed that he was the man he trusted more then any other in all the world, the pride, the validation that the mighty general Othello could place in a mere poor man's son of no background or distinction. It was the greatest moment of his life. Othello had indeed come to rely on him for everything, from delivering messages in battle to leading every charge into a fortified enemy camp. He was Othello's right hand man in all in but official title and when the previous man had at last given up soldering he had gotten his hopes up. To high he realized now, but he had hoped that Othello would be different then all those others who looked down upon a man with no noble background. After all Othello himself MUST have understand better then any man could! But still it had all come to nothing. He remembered the night with an almost perfect, dreadful clarity that either comes with the best moments or the worst. Othello had come to him, with a sad look in his eyes and Iago knew immediately that his all hopes had been a fool's errand. Othello had explained that his superiors were of the opinion that while Iago was a fine soldier of commendable spirit, he was not suited to that position. Both he and Othello had known the truth of course. There superiors were too polite to state the real reason. Essentially it was: "You are nothing more then a boy whose father is in debtor's jail and whose mother was to low to even be called a prostitute. You are well suited to be sacrificed in battle but nothing more." Othello had told that he had argued for him, fought for him, and used all his oratory powers for his cause. He hadn't doubted it, at least on the outside, but inside voiced whispered of Othello and the others laughing, laughing at his foolishness and talking as though he were nothing more then a dog. He had ignored these, told himself that he was merely being paranoid. And after some time, he had convinced himself of this, and things seemed to be going well. Then, of course, he met had met Emilia and there was the final straw…

He had first met Emilia at the end of yet another campaign. He had been charmed by her honesty, her unshakeable nature, and her strong opinions. For a while they had courted, and he had been convinced that he had found his one true wife and was content. But then Emilia started acting strangely; she was more distant and seemed to be avoiding him. He suspected she had a lover, some man who was exceedingly clever for he left no trace of his presence, save for Emilia's odd behavior. He even recalled going to Othello for advice (and there was a fine irony indeed…) and Othello had assured him that his wife was true; that a finer woman never was born and so on. And eventually he had been forced to give up. Emilia's odd behavior eventually ceased, and although he apologized for his accusations he knew the truth. She had cheated on him; he was more certain of this then of anything else in his life, save possibly when he had decided to destroy Othello at last. He knew that he had been merely played as a fool once again, deceived by his own wife, by Othello, by everyone around him who considered him little more then a servant. He had spent the next few days in his room, contemplating his vengeance. He came to hate those around him, most of all Othello. After all it was because of Othello he had opened his trust and raised false hopes. Othello was the reason he had meet his whore of a wife. Othello was the cause of all troubles, and he must be destroyed, no matter what the cost to himself or others. He had spent the next few weeks trying to come up with some course of action to do so but no opportunity had presented itself. Then Othello met Desdemona, and then a fellow called Rodorigo revealed to him how he secretly pined for Desdemona and the beginnings of a plan formed in his mind…

*****************

Iago opened his eyes again and wondered how much time had past. More then an hour or two surely for the torturer had ceased his work and seemed to have left the room, tired from all his bloody work. "What have I learned from this?" Iago mused in his mind. "That I am a man corrupted by jealousy and hate, who has let evil consume him? Why I knew that when I continued to manipulate sweet Desdemona, despite her pleas. There was no redemption here for me, nothing to be learned from this. I became a monster to destroy a man who had betrayed me and I enjoyed the experience far too much to go back to my old self. No, for better or for worse I will remain this way for the rest of my life. A man committing evil wholly for the sake of evil" He smiled to himself, content with this revelation. Then the torturer entered the room again, ready to get back to work. It was then Iago made a decision to himself, he didn't know how successful he would be but like he had thought once before, he couldn't stop now. "Hello…" Iago spoke in a friendly, conversational tone as though they were discussing the weather. The torturer's eyes widened in surprise, he had long ago thought that Iago was in this to the death. "I have considered my situation and have decided I will reveal myself to you but first you must agree to my one request first." "And what is that?" The torturer asked, looking rather skeptical now. "Why for everything I reveal about myself, you must also reveal something about yourself." Iago stated, as though it was only natural it should be this way. The torturer laughed and said "And why should I agree to such a condition?" "Well…you would no doubt gain the Governors favor and the respect of all if you got the master villain to reveal his motivations to you. Of course no one would look down on you if I remained silent again but…" Iago simply let that hang in the air for a moment, knowing what the answer would be. After a moment's consideration the torturer nodded and said "Alright, let us proceed with the questioning." Iago laughed, if only in his mind, and for the first time in weeks considered the possibility that he might not just hang after all once he got to work on this fellow…

Finis


End file.
